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The rope wick method

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Ludwig

07-10-2003 18:56:17




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By popular demand, the "rope wick" method for cleaning used motor oil.
I can't take credit for coming up with this, I read it on here somewhere awhile ago.
Okay, I usually use 2 #10 cans, but you could use whatever you had handy, and a natural fiber rope. I imagine cotton would work, but I use sisal(sp?).
Put one can up on blocks, I've got it set so the top can actually sits over the bottom can which prevents drips. The top can is where the raw used oil goes. The bottom can collects the good, well better, oil, so it starts out empty. Soak the rope in some clean oil for a bit then wipe it clean. Put the rope into the top can so it goes all the way to the bottom dangle the wiped part down to the bottom can. I have a piece of wire I soldered onto the top can to hold the rope in place. Now wait.
The oil will wick up through the rope and down into the lower can like a siphon. I'm not exactly why it works, but it does. The trick here is not to be in a hurry. I start a can when I leave the farm and when I come back in a month its done. So I also have no idea how long it takes.
The finished product is still used oil, I wouldn't put it back into an engine, but it doesn't have the particulate contaminates that it did before. In fact the particulates will collect in the bottom of the can along with some of the old oil that didn't get wicked up. I suspect eventually I'll have to scrape that stuff out and throw it away. For now I'll keep refilling the can.

I started doing this because my bush hog leaks gear oil pretty badly so I use grease. I heard that the grease can cause cavitation so I wanted to always put in some oil to be there until the grease gets warm. The grease doesn't take long to get warm so the used motor oil fills the gap. Then I got thinking about the crap in the used oil getting into the gearbox and decided I didn't like that much either, so now theres no problems. My rig didn't cost but a couple pennies from the electricity to solder the wire on and works slickern a smelt.

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Watch Hair Cuts

07-11-2003 12:54:57




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 Re: The rope wick method in reply to Ludwig, 07-10-2003 18:56:17  
Try watching haricuts at the barber shop. Your time will be better spent. Quality lubricants are the cheapest thing on the farm in the long run, IF you consider repair expenses.



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Skinwhittler

07-11-2003 13:59:24




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 Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to Watch Hair Cuts, 07-11-2003 12:54:57  
Watchin haircuts! HAHAHAHAHA man oh man.



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Ludwig - forgot to mentio

07-10-2003 19:01:10




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 Re: The rope wick method in reply to Ludwig, 07-10-2003 18:56:17  
I also use this oil most anywhere I would have used 3-in-1 oil before, bicycle chain, starter lube, stuck parts lube, etc. I also use it in the aircleaner on my Farmall since the aircleaner doesn't care if the oil doesn't have all of its lubricating properties any more. I haven't tried recovering the oil from the aircleaner yet because I usually have to get it out with a spoon. Maybe if I get better about cleaning the air cleaner I will.

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rustyfarmall

07-11-2003 04:56:40




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 Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to Ludwig - forgot to mentio, 07-10-2003 19:01:10  
Excellent idea, I will try it.



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thebigron

07-10-2003 19:20:45




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 Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to Ludwig - forgot to mentio, 07-10-2003 19:01:10  
I have often wondered why one couldn't use used motor oil for lubercating a chain in a chainsaw. This would be neat way to save a few bucks, and I got the whole summer to "make" a couple of quarts. Thanks.



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Ludwig

07-11-2003 05:57:35




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 Re: Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to thebigron, 07-10-2003 19:20:45  
The others are right, just by pouring motor oil and then bar oil you can see the difference. I've run motor oil a couple times when there was no bar oil available and I absolutely had to cut something. I ended up wearing alot of it. I have a manual oiler saw and I kept the oil right to it because I knew it wasn't as sticky.



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snowball

07-10-2003 20:32:06




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 Re: Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to thebigron, 07-10-2003 19:20:45  
My Dad used to use motor oil he mixed 1 can STP oil treatment to 1 gallon oil if I remember right.



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stihl088

07-10-2003 20:20:48




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 Re: Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to thebigron, 07-10-2003 19:20:45  
it is nor a good idea to put used crankcae oil in a chainsaw. bar oil has a tack additive that helps keep oil on the chain you can also ruin the oil pump



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RayP(MI)

07-11-2003 17:18:43




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to stihl088, 07-10-2003 20:20:48  
Instructions that came with my chainsaw actually recommend ordinary motor oil.



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Sales

07-12-2003 09:35:20




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to RayP(MI), 07-11-2003 17:18:43  
If your brand of chainsaw recommends regular motor oil, then the company wants to sell more bars and chains - simple as that. The bar & chain oil has special additives to make it cling to the bar and chain much better than motor oil. I use only the Stihl brand and it is excellent.



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Hal/WA

07-10-2003 20:04:01




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 Re: Re: Re: The rope wick method in reply to thebigron, 07-10-2003 19:20:45  
Lots of people do use used crankcase oil for bar oil. But not me. I worry about ruining the bar oil pump on my saw. They are fairly expensive and I am not even sure I can still get one for my old Stihl. The other thing about crankcase oil is that it is lots thinner than regular bar oil and will fling a lot worse. As long as I can get bar oil for $3 or $4 a gallon, that's what I will use.

There are lots of other things to use crankcase oil for. I think this method of clarifying it is a neat idea and I will try it.

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